Vol. 522 No. 3
162 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children if state of the art technology is available in all of our major hospitals; if there are any particular areas which require upgrading; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18747/00]
In all new developments, hospitals are equipped with the most up to date equipment to satisfy the clinical needs of the service. Under the national development plan, £4 million has been provided to the health boards and £8 million to the Eastern Regional Health Authority to address the issue of replacement equipment and minor refurbishment works in the acute hospitals. This funding will address the upgrading issues based on the priorities of the service providers.
I have also recently approved the purchase of three new MRI scanners for University College Hospital, Galway, St. James's Hospital and the Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Dublin, incorporating the National Children's Hospital. These new MRI facilities will significantly enhance the present service and will provide a dramatic improvement in the access to such facilities for public patients and should be operational later in the year. My Department is also in the process of providing new radiotherapy facilities at St. Luke's Hospital, Dublin and Cork University Hospital and a new radiotherapy service will be provided at University College Hospital, Galway.
In other areas of high-technology medicine, I have also provided for additional cardiac surgery services at St. James's Hospital, Dublin. These additional cardiac surgery facilities will come on stream over the next two to three years with a view to meeting their target of 450 cardiac procedures per annum. Likewise, phase two of the major redevelopment programme at University College Hospital, Galway is now at tender stage and work will commence in 2000. Cardiac surgery facilities to cater for the target activity of 300 cardiac surgery procedures per annum are included in this project.
